Unit 1 Quizlet Term List (Parts 1.1 - 1.6) AP Psych

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from Unit 1 of the course, including heredity, the nervous system, neurons, brain anatomy, sleep, and sensation.

Heredity

Genetic or predisposed characteristics.

Environment

External factors such as family and education.

Evolutionary Perspective

How natural selection shapes behavior for survival.

Eugenics

Using evolutionary principles to discriminate against others.

Identical Twins

Twins from one egg that have 100% same DNA.

Fraternal Twins

Twins from two eggs that share 50% of the same DNA.

Heritability

The extent to which differences among people are due to genes.

CNS

Central Nervous System, which includes the brain and spinal cord.

PNS

Peripheral Nervous System, consisting of all nerves not in bone.

Somatic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system responsible for voluntary control of muscles.

Autonomic Nervous System

Involuntary organ control.

Sympathetic System

Part of the ANS that triggers the 'fight-or-flight' response.

Parasympathetic System

Part of the ANS that promotes 'rest and digest' functions.

Sensory Neurons

Afferent neurons that carry information to the brain.

Motor Neurons

Efferent neurons that carry information from the brain to muscles.

Interneurons

Neurons that process information within the brain and spinal cord.

Reflex Arc

An automatic response pathway that bypasses the brain.

Neuron

The basic building block of the nervous system.

Dendrites

Structures that receive messages from other neurons.

Axon

The part of the neuron that sends messages.

Myelin Sheath

Insulation around an axon that speeds up signal transmission.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse that travels down an axon.

All-or-Nothing Principle

A neuron either fires at full strength or not at all.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses.

Agonist

A drug that mimics the action of a neurotransmitter.

Antagonist

A drug that blocks the action of a neurotransmitter.

Tolerance

The need for increasingly larger doses of a drug to achieve the same effect.

Medulla

The brain structure that controls heart rate and breathing.

Cerebellum

The brain region responsible for balance and coordination.

Reticular Activating System

Regulates alertness and consciousness.

Thalamus

The sensory relay station, except for smell.

Amygdala

The brain region involved in fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

The structure involved in creating new memories.

Frontal Lobe

The brain region associated with decision making and personality.

Occipital Lobe

The part of the brain responsible for visual processing.

Neuroplasticity

The ability of the brain to change and reorganize itself.

Broca’s Area

The region of the brain important for speech production.

Wernicke’s Area

The area of the brain critical for language comprehension.

Circadian Rhythm

The internal biological clock that has a cycle of approximately 24 hours.

REM Sleep

The stage of sleep where dreaming occurs and muscles are paralyzed.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder characterized by trouble falling or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy

A disorder that causes sudden sleep attacks.

Sleep Apnea

A condition where breathing stops intermittently during sleep.

Transduction

The process of converting physical stimuli into neural signals.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum stimulus level detectable 50% of the time.

Rods

Photoreceptors that detect light, dark, and motion.

Cones

Photoreceptors that detect color and detail.

Cochlea

The part of the ear that is responsible for auditory transduction.

Gate Control Theory

A theory explaining pain modulation in the spinal cord.

Vestibular Sense

The sensory system that contributes to balance.

Kinesthesis

The sense of the position and movement of body parts.